Henry Dixon
"You always have a choice in life, just don't pick the wrong one."-Henery to Tucker (1899) Henry Dixon was a big game hunter and mercenary who operated in New Austin and southern West Elizabeth. Early Life- Henry Dixon was born to an Alcoholic father and immigrant mother on December 3rd, 1844 in the town of Rhodes. His mother died during childbirth, an act that his father blamed and resented Henry for. Henry's father was abusive towards Henry, whipping him for the slightest of transgression both real and imaginary. Joining the Confederacy- In 1861, when Lemoyne seceded from the United States to join the Confederate States of America, Henry jumped at the opportunity to leave his home and join the war effort. At the age of 17, Henry joined 15th battalion sharpshooters (commonly known as "Weatherly's boys") for the C.S.A. It was here when Henry learned to handle a rifle and found his skill as a sharpshooter. Battle of Bolger Glade- Henry fought during the Battle of Bolger Glade (1864) under the supervision of General Quincy Harris. The battle was part of the Union's "Red River Campaign". While the Confederacy won the battle, Union forces inflicted heavy casualties causing C.S.A forces to retreat further to try and re-group with reinforcements. Bulger Glade was abandon and would not be used for the rest of the war. Post Traumatic Stress- The Battle of Bolger Glade seems to be a major contributor towards Henry's "Soldier's Heart" (PTSD). In accounts he gave to friends years after the fact, Henery was moved towards the from lines where he saw body parts fly and the screams of boys on both sides. Something Henry was not used to as his position as sharpshooter allowed him to stay further back. Post War- After the war and fall of the Confederacy, Henry like many other C.S.A soldiers, was given amnesty by the United States Government for his part in the war. Henry headed towards Saint-Denis where he worked as a swamp hunter, earning a reputation for killing large alligators with single shots from his rifle. Henry also fished in the bayou, earning him a large sum of money for his catches. It is said that Henry could earn up to $70 in just two days of hunting. (Over $1.500 in today's money) Mary Bell- Henry met a woman by the name of Mary Bell. The two fell for each other quickly and soon began dating. "Our life was perfect, When I would return home from hunting trips she would always hug with such embrace. We would spend the entire day on the front porch, talking, enjoying each others company. She was my soulmate, and I miss her." -Henry Sometime in the early 1870s, Henry and Mary Bell got into a grave argument. Mary stormed out into the swamps. Henry, enraged, chose to calm down and not bother looking for her. It wasn't until she didn't return the 2nd day that he began worrying. He set off to the swamps in search, and after multiple days found her, half-eaten laying on the mud. "I was gonna marry her, I had the ring in my pocket that night and everything. Instead, I buried my love by the biggest, most beautiful tree I could find. One by the shore where the frogs croaked and the water glistened. I still have it marked in case I ever want to go back."-Henry Moving to West Elizabeth- In 1896 at the age of 52, Henry retired from hunting and moved to Blackwater, West Elizabeth. This was not only so Henry could retire, but also as to help his chronic Pneumonia, Which was made worse due to his life in the swamps. Becoming a mercenary- The sedimentary life did not suit him however, as he quickly began big game hunting in the plains and by late 1897 moved further west to Tumbleweed, New Austin to work as a mercenary at the age of 53. Shootout in Valentine- In September 1898, Henry was contacted by Jeremy King as a bodyguard. An eastern businessman looking to expand his business west, Mr. King was to meet a group called the "Kilgore Gang" for the exchange of supplies. Mr. King only hired one other mercenary for the job, a decision that Henry objected to. Alas, Henry's only partner was a kid from Saint-Denis by the name of Tucker Murray. The pair met Mr. King at the Saints Hotel in Valentine where the deal was to be made. A box of the gang's ingredients for $250. When representatives of the gang showed up however, they declared that the price would be raised to $350. When Mr. King was unable to pay, a fight ensued and soon, a shootout. Mr. King was killed in the crossfire and the pair fled and went their separate ways. On the Run- In October of 1898, Henry was contacted by his previous partner Tucker Murray. It seemed that Tucker stole the supplies from the gang and sold them for profit. The gang was not too thrilled on it and was now chasing Tucker down. Looking for more work, Henery agreed to meet Tucker and help him hide. Tumbleweed- At first, Henry tried to keep Tucker at his home in Tumbleweed, but after Tucker raised too much attention though bar fights and harassing the citizens, Henery saw it would be better to leave. Unfortunately, while they were mapping their route, a Kilgore assassin who heard the news of Tucker's antics tried to kill them in Henry's home, ultimately burning the house down. Gaptooth Ridge Mine- Henry made a stop for the Gaptooth Ridge Mine, a place where Henry stashed a large cache of weapons. Unfortunately, the mine was caved in. A fight ensued between Henry and Tucker about staying resulting in Henry giving up and letting Tucker ultimately win. Rathskeller Fork- The duo made their way to Rathskeller fork, a dried up rest stop in the middle of nowhere. They stayed there for a few months. Without much to do the two got into bird shooting contests against one another. A contest that Henry won every time. Henry told Tucker stories of his youth and his time in the war, something he had not talked about in a long time. Around February 1899, a group of bounty hunters showed up to Rathskeller looking for the duo. The two almost made it out without being caught but were ultimately found by a bounty hunter patrolling the southern perimeter. A chase ensued and ended in a large dividend in the canyon wall where the two took a last stand. They were able to repel the hunters and a two-day siege. The two determined that the reason they gang was always finding them was that they knew the two were in New Austin. So logically, the best thing to do was to go north out of New Austin. Armadillo- The two stayed a few days in Armadillo. A small almost abandoned town East of Tumbleweed. They left quickly however when Henry heard a group of brothers discuss seeing men who resembled members of the gang around. Blackwater- Henry and Tucker spent only a few minutes in Blackwater, West Elizabeth. As when Tucker was searching for money, he came across bounty hunter asking around the two. Ambarino- After various more stops, the two ended up in the snow-covered mountains of Ambarino. Originally hiding out in an abandoned mining town, the duo eventually found a freshly abandon homestead with enough dry goods to last them. The two stayed there for months. Henry teaching Tucker how to hunt and shoot a rifle like a sharpshooter. Despite Tuckers original standoff-ness on Henry, and Henry's annoyance of the tucker. The two began to bond and soon become friends and later, family. Death- The wet climate of Ambarino was not good for Henry, soon after arriving, Henry began coughing again, and developed Pneumonia once more. On may 9th, 1899, when Tucker didn't come back in time from a hunting trip, Henry set off to find him. Not wanting his past to repeat itself. After spending a day and a half looking, Henry found Tucker at the bottom of a cliff and helped him up. Tucker, weak from dehydration and the animal attack he endured, as well as the harsh blizzard that had started, was unable to walk, so Henery carried him home. When Henry returned with Tucker, he was unable to breathe correctly. Having a coughing fit from the Pneumonia made much worse from spending so much time in the blizzard. After he warmed up and was able, Tucker went to the shed outside to grab a bottle of Henry's favorite bourbon so he could drink something and perhaps even celebrate his safe return. When Tucker returned, Henry laid still on his bed, Lifeless. Henry died on May 10th, 1899. His last act was to save Tucker. Tucker wrapped Henry's body. And when he believed it was safe, Tucker used Henry's map and took Henery all the way to Lemoyne to burry home where his love was. By the big, beautiful tree near the shore.